Lily is a bit of a character, but Jacquie wouldn’t have it any other way

Lily is my everyday hero, and she has been ever since my husband John and I got her as a rescue 10 years ago from Border Terrier Welfare.

She’s slowed down a bit now, but still loves life – walking regularly each morning, scrounging as many treats as she can and chasing away cats from the garden.

She loves visitors and welcomes them with licks

When we got her, only three weeks had passed since we lost our old Border Terrier. We were so distraught, but her unconditional love soon melted our hearts.

At first, Lily was a bit of a mischief. She used to love destroying toys! We even had to get an outside letterbox, because she’d grab any letters through the post-box, run off with them and then destroy them if given half the chance.

She loves visitors and welcomes them with licks as kisses. She’s made lots of friends over the years and has won photo competitions, too. I could go on forever!

Lexi came into Frank’s life after he suffered a stroke five years ago, and since then she’s made even his darkest days that little bit brighter

I’ve been a dog lover since I was a kid. I grew up with at least one Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound or Miniature Schnauzer always around. But my wife was not a dog-lover, nor had she grown up with any pets. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would not be having any dogs in my married life.

Five years ago, I had a stroke. It came out of the blue and suddenly my life was turned upside down. Two months afterwards, my wife had one of these ‘lightbulb moments’ and thought getting a dog would be good for my recovery. In life, when there is a window of opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands, so I certainly didn't argue! A few weeks later, we brought home the most gorgeous Jack Russell puppy, who we decided to name Lexi.

She helps alleviate my stress and anxiety on those dark days

Lexi has been a hugely positive influence in my life. She’s a loyal companion who’s always there for me. When my wife is working and our children are at school, Lexi is the one who gets me through the days. Every day comes with its own challenges for me. My life is governed by my stroke fatigue, but Lexi gets me out of bed and walking.

Often, if we haven't been out, Lexi will still try to get me to move my legs by dropping a tennis ball at my feet, encouraging me to kick the ball so she can fetch it. She helps alleviate my stress and anxiety on those dark days and gives me confidence that things can get better. She also knows when I freeze up, so if I stay in the same position without moving my face or body, she starts barking at me.

She’s loved by everyone in the house, including my wife. When we got Lexi, my wife was adamant that she would strictly be a downstairs dog. Today, not only is Lexi allowed in the bedroom, but she spends most nights sleeping on our bed! And our children can’t stop kissing and tickling her.

My stroke has been challenging for everyone in our house, but Lexi has been the silver lining that comes with every cloud! She has brought immense joy to us all and is a reminder that light can come out of darkness.

Life isn’t easy for Nicola or her dog Poppy, but they both know that thanks to their friendship, they can overcome anything.

I have suffered from anxiety and depression since my twenties, which can be quite tough. But as soon as I got Poppy, she helped me to start living my life to the full. Every morning, she gets me up and forces me to enjoy some fresh air, which is a great way to start the day.

She’s always happy to see me

I don’t have many friends, but with Poppy by my side I’m more than happy to spend a Saturday night on my own! She’s always so happy to see me and makes me laugh with her quirky ways. She is obsessed with tennis balls, likes to chase squirrels (but has never managed to catch one!) and enjoys nothing better than snuggling in my duvet.

She’s been diagnosed with scoliosis in her back, which means she will eventually become paralysed. But thanks to her medication she’s doing really well and continues to soldier on every day.

Poppy has been a constant companion for me, as I am for her. She is my whole world.

Broden has gone from a loving family pooch to a fully fledged therapy dog thanks to his big heart.

Broden has been with us from eight weeks old – always rather stubborn but the best family dog ever. He’s welcomed new grandchildren into the family, loving their cuddles.

The best family dog ever

He became a Pets as Therapy dog and has visited care homes and schools. If faced with a person in a wheelchair he will lay his big head on their knees so they can stroke him. He has helped schoolchildren read and helped a child overcome a fear of dogs.

Since my husband retired he has been his walking companion, even walking the Cotswold Way and the Coast to Coast with him. He’s slowing down a bit now, but still has the biggest heart and personality.

Jon loves nothing more than fossil hunting with his furry companions, Poppy and Sam

Poppy and Sam are my beach-walking adventure buddies. We live in rural Somerset on the Jurassic Coast and go for walks daily, for both fitness and fun. I’m a keen photographer and amateur fossil hunter (as well as a professional psychiatric nurse).

My beach-walking adventure buddies

Poppy is a great fan of muddy, wet walks and they both love to run around Bristol Channel Beach, playing in rock pools and waiting for me to turn over rocks to see what we find. It’s great fun chasing eels through rock pools, though we’re yet to actually catch one.

Poppy is good at picking up small, flat stones for me – she once even brought me a small ammonite fossil! In the photo, you can see both of them with a 197-million-year-old Ichthyosaur fossil we found while playing on Stolford Beach.

As a vicar, Jane spent much of the pandemic alone with her responsibilities weighing heavily on her shoulders, but Lily always helped lighten the load

Lily was adopted from Labrador Rescue North West in October 2009 at approximately two years old. The first few months were really challenging as she had chronic separation anxiety. After I helped her settle, she began to mend my broken heart following the death of my previous 14-year-old Labrador six weeks earlier.

I am a vicar and live on my own. Lily is always ready to cuddle and listen when I have faced a challenging pastoral encounter. She’s a really good timekeeper and when I’m busy with work, she will come and put her head on my knee when it’s time for walkies, as if to say ‘Take me out, I'm way more interesting than your computer’.

Lily’s also good when I have work meetings as she welcomes people, makes them feel at ease and offers cuddles when they’re upset. Pastoral walks can sometimes make it easier for people to talk about difficult things and Lily always comes along on those.

During the pandemic, Lily was what kept me going

During the pandemic, I struggled with anxiety. I felt the weight of my responsibility for those in my care, and I had no physical human contact for months as I live alone. Lily was what kept me going. She was my reason to go out daily, and those walks in nature when we couldn't go anywhere else were so important for my mental health.

Lily is a typical Labrador and will eat anything, which is not necessarily a good thing as she has a wheat allergy. She seemingly goes deaf on a walk if she's found something disgusting that she is enjoying eating or rolling in! She also loves water, the muddier the better.

Lily is now 12 and beginning to struggle with arthritis, but she will still play like a baby when she meets up with another of her canine friends. Just this week she had me laughing as she frolicked through a field of buttercups trying to instigate play with a three-year-old spaniel, who was too busy following her nose to join in.